LETTER TO ROBERT GATES FROM STEPHEN M. MEYER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90G00152R001001990003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: August 10, 1987
• Content Type: LETTER

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/12 :CIA-RDP90G00152R001001990003-7
' ~ EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT '~
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
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DCI
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DDCI
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EXDIR
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D/ICS
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DDI
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DDA
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DDO
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Chm/NIC
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Compt
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D/Ex Staff
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Dissemination per 0/DDCI.
STAT
xecutrve ecretary
21 Aug '87
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E3e- 628
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
DEFENSE AND ARMS CONTROL STUDIES PROGRAM
LJ2 MAIN STREET
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02142
August 10, 1987
Mr. Robert Gates
Deputy Director, Central Intelligence
Washington, DC 20505
`"""""__:~:1C:i
87-4118X
As you know, in September 1986 the CIA published an unclassified
version of: The Soviet Weapons Industry: An Overview. This
paper was published at the urging of the MEAP, following a
noticeable decline in the agency's open publications in the area
of Soviet defense economic performance.
I am writing because I want to emphasize to you the important
contributions that this paper has made to the public discussion
of Soviet defense and national security policy. I cannot tell
you the large number of people who have commented favorably on
this paper over the last 6 months. As I have traveled around
the country, time and again academics and industry researchers
have pointed to this paper as a product of invaluable utility to
their work. To those like myself, who have been moat concerned
with the process of policy and technology innovation in the
Soviet weapons industry, the paper allows us to talk about
things publicly that were not possible prior to publication.
Others, more interested in the output of Soviet weapons
production, have been able to use the information and details
provided in the paper to clarify the public debate on what the
Soviet Union was indeed producing and the corresponding
implications. I think it is important to note that supporters
and critics of the CIA alike have praised this paper as an
important contribution to the literature.
I raise this only because I know there continues to be mixed
views on the value of the CIA attempting to put information out
into public when at the same time it cannot defend itself from
careless criticism. I believe, however, that the CIA's role and
responsibility in public discussions of Soviet defense and
economic activities must be far greater than the agency has been
willing to assume in recent years. The Soviet weapons industry
paper is one example of the immeasurable contribution the agency
DCI
EEG
REG
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can make. There will always be both responsible and
irresponsible critics of CIA work done at unclassified and
classified levels. The agency should not be gun shy, and the
Soviet weapons industry paper demonstrates the importance of an
active CIA role in the dispersing of unclassified information
I hope that this very positive and productive experience with
the Soviet Weapons Industry paper will stimulate other CIA
efforts to add to the unclassified literature.
Stephen M. Meyer
cc: Doug MacEachin
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Meyer
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEFENSE AND ARMS CONTROL STUDIES PROGRAM
292 MAIN STREET
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02142
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li AUG
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Mr. Robert Gates
Deputy Director
United States Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
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